SOURCE: "Hartmann's Erec: The Perils of Young Love," in Seminar, Vol. XIV, No. 1, February, 1978, pp. 1-14.

In the following excerpt, Tobin examines Erec and Enite's relationship in light of its influence on Erec's knightly duty to pursue adventure.

Through comments of the narrator and the reactions of the hero's own court Hartmann has supplied us with a basic interpretation of Erec. Out of love for his wife Erec has neglected his courtly duties to society and has failed to pursue knightly activity. This has brought dishonour to his court (2966-98). At the end of the story when he returns to Karnant after a series of successful knightly endeavours, he reaps the praise of the narrator by living ever after a life correctly balanced between his duties to his wife and to knighthood (10, 119-24). Just in case we have missed the point, Hartmann has Gawein admonish Iwein about the...